I just got a used Taurus PT-917 9mm. The frame is aluminum and the slide is stainless and both have the typical minor scatches that occures during use. I was wondering if there was anything I could to to remove them or lighten their impact on the beauty of the pistol? Any suggestions?
Thank you.

March 31st, 2012, 11:37 AM

Guns and more

For polished finishes, I use Simichrome. It looks like toothpaste.
A tiny dab on a clean cloth and work away.
It takes time, but I've made old guns with minor scratches, look new.
If it's a brushed finish, use a green Scotchbrite pad.
Go slow, it's aggressive. Stay with the grain of the brushed finish.
I've used this on an old PPK and it also looks new.
If it's a matte finish, you may have to bead blast it, I'm no help here.

April 2nd, 2012, 03:49 PM

Ram Rod

Suggestions? Of course. How you're going to take them is up to you, but please bear in mind I never intend to offend.
First off...used pistols or firearms of any kind often show obvious signs of wear. We buy them or trade for them well knowing what we are willing to accept or deal with after we have them in hand. A good deal is a good deal no matter how many times you put it through the washing machine. "Minor blemishes" and "minor scratches" are totally different to my thinking...and if someone else is describing these things to me I'm thinking that they may not be so "minor" to my way of thinking. If the marks are enough of a concern, then it's more than a minor thing. Sort of like a scratch down to the primer coat on a brand new black car. On the flip side of the coin, purchasing a used black car that shows it's been parked a few times at the mall is acceptable since one need not worry about the first scratch from the last. I have had show quality vehicles in the past and won trophies at car shows. Plenty of hard work and attention to detail for a daily driver to be put on display for a weekend and voted on by others with high standards. Many times I would see those whom invested more in the vehicle than working on it win the show. My first and second place trophies from a few years ago now collect dust. I am not as proud of them now as I was when I won them since I know I'll be outclassed with the same entry today. Age and use has taken it's toll. If I want to win another trophy at a car show I'll have to do some major work or start anew. More than what a trophy is worth IMO. I still have the trophies, and I still have the vehicle that won at car shows. Now, with 150k+ miles it still gets me back and forth to work. The trophies sit in the garage seldom seen by others yet dear to me for the memories and the days. Back when....when I had the fortitude and the grit to attempt to conquer such a feat I learned how to strip my vehicle down to the paint and do better than the factory did on the showroom floor. It cost me a pretty penny just to get started with the perfect finish and plenty more after that in time and effort. She still shines after a good hard rain like newly waxed, just because of what I did back in the day to help preserve the quality for show time after time. I still have plenty of respect for her after all these years. She's got me through thick and thin and always done what I asked her to do and then some. Even though she's nothing pretty to look at after all these years, we're still together and I still love her even if folks whisper about us out of earshot. Looks are on the outside, and I still beat plenty of half ton rice burners off the light with a 3 ton truck on city streets. I'll be a proud owner until the day she dies and we've been through all together.
As far as metals are concerned, you need to know what you're working with and what tools are needed. Aluminum, stainless, etc....... Many tools for many things. Need to have a basic understanding of metals and hardness as well as abrasives. Pastes can be applied by hand slowly or by tool. Aluminum is easily scratched......don't ever want to make your problem worse. Dremel tool and the right bits at the correct speed can yield wonders. If it's beyond simple polishing then you don't want to do it by hand. Choosing the correct tools is the next step. What grade abrasive? How fast the application? You never want to make things worse by trying to make them better.
A used gun has only so much potential. If it's a purely defensive firearm, nobody else should ever see it and live to tell. If it's something you want to turn into a project, then read on.
I personally have used a battery operated Dremel tool for years as a gunsmith and on my own firearms very effectively. Felt tips and rouge. White Rouge is the only thing I have on hand right now. My local hardware store has many sticks in many varieties. Stainless steel is many times harder than aluminum for sure. Choose your tools accordingly. Best thing is to test your methods on an inconspicuous area just like a carpet cleaner. Without having your pistol in my hands I couldn't honestly tell you what's best, and I cannot for sure tell you how to go about doing it with what you don't have. Forgive me if I have not been clear on exactly what to do to restore your firearm. You'll need to bring it to the shop. Otherwise you'll either live with it or without it as is. Nothing pretty about taking out your enemy. What you use to take out your enemy don't need to be pretty...nobody's impressed these days by anything. If you're buying used for show quality, then I think you need to save more money and get what you really want. No offense intended. If it serves the purpose then how much do looks really matter? My apologies for making this such a lengthy subject.....but the lesson is free. If you would like me to make specific recommendations for your pistol and personal needs, then you'll need to bring it to me. I won't charge a dime, and I might have everything necessary to make it what you want in an hour.

April 2nd, 2012, 04:06 PM

Yoda

ouch, my eyes hurt.. paragraphs would help.

to the OP, how about a picture?

April 10th, 2012, 01:31 PM

ErikinCT

Hi Yoda. I did a bunch of research and then when I finally got the gun...I learned that it is a stainless slide on an aluminum frame. Its a used Taurus Pt 917. I think that's it. I'm just gonna give it a good cleaning and use it as a range gun. I was just curious on how to make the finish look better. I will submit pics as soon as I can. Thanks y'all.